So, looking at all of the mock drafts, and listening/reading your typical draft pundits, here’s some information on this year’s draft:

Its a relatively weak draft compared to recent memory.

Its very weak on college pitching

Its thus heavier on college and prep bats, which most pundits are predicting will at be at least the top 6 picks.

Meanwhile … the Nats are generally a team that very heavily focuses on college pitching in drafts, and who generally looks for “famous” names in the 1st who may have dropped slightly due to signability or injury, looking for “value.” This was the case with Mason Denaburg in 2018 (was a top 10 prospect, had biceps issue, dropped), the case with Seth Romero (was a top prospect before getting kicked off his college team in 2017), the case with Jesus Luzardo in 2016 (he had TJ surgery ahead of the draft), definitely the case with Erick Fedde in 2014, etc. So, it should be an interesting draft to follow.

The Nats have the

#17 pick in the first draft

lost their 2nd rounder to the Patrick Corbin signing (would have been 57th overall)

94th in the 3rd round

124th in the 4th round

139th in the 4th round comp round (compensation for Bryce Harper)

Lost their 5th rounder, also for the Corbin signing (they lost 2 picks thanks to screwing up the salary cap in 2018 for the 2nd year running)

then pick 214th and every 30 picks there after.

The lack of a 2nd rounder really means they have to hit on their 1st this year. So, who do Mock drafters generally have the Nats picking? You generally see draft pundits with the Nats picking one of these names:

Shea Langeliers, C from Baylor. This fits the Nats M.O. of picking better players who have dropped slightly in the 1st due to injury. Langeliers broke a hamate bone this year, which has hampered his offense and dropped him. This would be a classic Nats 1st round pick.

Matt Allan, prep RHSP from Florida HS, rated as one of the best (if not the best) prep RHP in the draft. Committed to Florida, apparently has huge bonus demands.

Josh Jung, 3B from Texas Tech who has been on draft radars for a while.

I’ve also seen some mocks with the Nats taking George Kirby, Kameron Misner, Brett Bady. But i’d bet its one of these three above names.

My prediction: Every mock draft pundit for the last week or so has the Nats taking Allan and spending the money. Its looking more and more that the type of college bat that the Nats would normally take (Langeliers, Jung, Misner) are going to be gone … so i’m betting the Nats stake the entire 2019 draft on Allan.

Here’s the Mock draft collection. I’ve generally listed their top-5 and then who they project the Nats to take at #17 (if they project out that far). this year i’m ordering them Chronologically as rec’d instead of grouping by pundit…. this should let us see kind of an evolution of the top of the draft.